The Return of Severus Snape
by Magical Pixie
Summary: Deathly Hallows Spoilers! Severus Snape is given another chance but does that chance include a former student. SSHG
1. Chapter 1

The Return of Severus Snape – Chapter 1

This is my first fan fiction so please read and review. This story occurs right after the end of Deathly Hallows but ignores the 19 Years Later Epilogue. I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters that honor goes to J.K. Rowling.

Severus Snape lay on the hard floor of the Shrieking Shack feeling the cold waves of blood loss wash over him. Finally he was free but he wasn't going to be able to enjoy it, oh the irony. Well if this was how his sad life was going to end, Severus was glad it was ending quickly. He closed his eyes and let the darkness consume him.

Suddenly the darkness was replaced with a bright light almost like a summer day and he hated summer days. Severus' eyes flew open and found he himself in a white room that seemed to stretch on for miles. He quickly stood up, straightened his robes and started walking. Severus wasn't sure of where he was going but he refused to stand there and wait.

"Impatient as ever Severus," came a soft feminine voice.

"Lily," Severus spun around quickly and beheld the object of his desire and the bane of his existence.

"You have finally fulfilled your destiny and in the process saved my son. For that I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Severus looked a Lily for a moment; she was just as beautiful as he remembered but he was a different person now. It was time for him to move on and in more ways than one.

"Not to cut this reunion short but why am I here, or is this the afterlife that I have heard so much about."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Well actually this is the part where I tell you about the second chance you are being granted."

Severus' cold black eyes stared back at Lily in disbelief. A second chance, this had to be some kind of sick joke. Sirius or some other retched human being was going to jump out and laugh at him, and then the real tortures of the afterlife could begin.

"Must you always think the worst of every situation?" Lily questioned him.

"It's been my previous experience that the worst is usually what will occur. Now what of this second chance that you spoke of?"

"Because of your numerous years of service to the Order and the great personal risks you undertook you are being given a second chance at life. One that I hope that will lead you to happiness Severus because you could use some," Lily walked towards Severus and reached out for his hand.

Severus let her take his hand as she led him towards a large ornate white door. Lily looked up at him and placed her hand under his chin.

"I missed your friendship Severus but this is not your time. You deserve a much better life then the one you have led and through that door is your second chance. Goodbye Severus," Lily brought his head down to her level and lightly kissed his cheek.

Severus took one last look at Lily then quickly turned on his heel, his black robes wrapping around him. Severus threw open the door and stepped through. If he was granted a second chance he was going to make the most of it.

Air hit his lungs and jarred him out of unconsciousness. The cold floor started causing his joints to ache and make him wonder if this second chance was worth it. Severus was now a free man with no commitments to anyone; the question now running through his mind was "_What does a free man do?"_

The Great Hall was slowly starting to quiet again. After Harry returned, he reported what he had found out about Professor Snape and that he had been on the side of good all along. As far as Hermione was concerned the wizarding world had lost not only a hero but also a great mind.

Ron was tightly clutching Hermione's hand and it wasn't until this moment that she realized how uncomfortable this made her feel. Ron was one of her best friends and she had confused this friendship with more complex emotions. Now she was backed into a corner, she didn't want to hurt Ron but she couldn't lie to him either.

"Ron, does this feel right to you?"

"Now that you mention it, no not really. I think with all of the crazy things that have been going on I just got confused," Ron looked at her and gave her hand a quick final squeeze.

"I'm so glad you think so too," Hermione felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she quickly hugged Ron.

The Great Hall was almost empty; many of the people who had been there had departed for home to be close to their loved ones. Ron had left to be with his family and Harry had left to be with Ginny. Hermione's parents wouldn't understand what had happened tonight and she had always felt more comfortable at Hogwarts. Only the staff members and a handful of students remained.

It was at that moment that the Great Hall doors flew open and there stood the dark and brooding potions master. As Severus stood in the doorway he looked around the room, his eyes meeting the familiar faces. This was real; it was all real; this was his second chance.

The faces of the people in the hall surprised Severus they looked like the genuinely cared. While this was touching in some strange way, it wasn't about to change his typically response to such occasions.

"Are you all going to continue to stare at me like a group of dunderheads? Because if that is the case I will turn around and retire for the evening."

"Oh Severus," Minerva ran up the aisle towards him "We thought you were dead."

"It would seem reports of my death have be greatly exaggerated."

"Severus perhaps we should go somewhere and I can inform you of what has happened."

"Of course Minerva," Severus stepped back to let Minerva through the door, then followed her out his black robes billowing behind him.

Hermione sat there is awe; Professor Severus Snape was alive. Her stomach did strange things and her heart raced in ways she couldn't quite explain. It must be because she was tired, that would be the only explanation for what just happened. Hermione quietly left the Great Hall and walked slowly towards Gryffindor tower taking her time as she tried to explain away what had just happened.

After his meeting with Minerva, Severus began to prowl the halls of Hogwarts. While he knew there would be very few students remaining, hunting the halls had always given him time to think. He had still not answered the most important question and one the Minerva had also posed to him "_What does a free man do?_"

As Severus turned a corner, his mind lost deep in thought, he ran directly in Hermione Granger.

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor. I was a million miles away," Hermione tried not to look into his piercing eyes; just being near him made her heart beat faster. What was happening to her, maybe she was coming down with some sort of illness.

"Ah Miss Granger I see you are without two thirds of the golden trio."

"Yes they went back to the Burrow but I would much rather be on my own. I have a lot of things to think about."

"I seem to be in a similar situation but maybe you could provide me with some assistance," Asking the know-it-all of Hogwarts was probably asking for trouble but if anyone could give him an answer it would be this know-it-all.

Hermione pondered this for a moment, what could he ever need her help with. This was Professor Severus Snape potions master what question could exist that he doesn't know the answer to.

"I will try to help you in any way that I can Professor," Hermione looked up at him and his eyes washed over her.

"What does a free man do, Miss Granger?"


	2. Chapter 2

The Return of Severus Snape – Chapter 2

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"A free man Sir?" Hermione usually understood any question that was directed towards her but what exactly was Professor Snape asking.

"Yes Miss Granger. For almost as long as I can remember I have been in servitude to someone, first the Dark Lord and then Dumbledore. For once I am my own man, which leaves me with the great uncertainty of what to do next." Severus looked down on the young woman and hoped that she could provide him with an answer because his own mind was clouded and foggy.

"You do not wish to stay here Sir?" Hermione was hoping she could stay at Hogwarts and apprentice under one of the professors, she was secretly hoping that the professor would be Snape. Even before she started having these confusing feeling about him, she had appreciated his knowledge and commanding presence.

"In case you haven't noticed I'm not very fond of children."

"That almost sounded like humor Professor. If your not careful people might begin to think you're human," She was being surprisingly forward with him, what was happening to her. These strange feelings were persisting and getting worse the longer she stayed in his presence.

"I think coming back from the dead has secured my status as inhuman. Now I believe that could be seen as humor Miss Granger." Severus never thought that a conversation with miss know-it-all-and-then-some would almost be enjoyable. "If a reason to stay should present itself I would welcome it, but that doesn't appear to be likely."

Hermione would need to give him a reason; her education depended on it. "I was hoping you would be staying on. I'm looking for a professor to apprentice under and I was hoping to continue my study of potions."

Severus thought that she had matured substantially over the last year, she was much different from the girl whole stole from his stores and snuck out after curfew. She might actually be able to provide him with some stimulating conversation, which has been sorely lacking at the staff table as of late.

"Well I wouldn't want your education to suffer. Letting just any dunderhead teach our generations most brilliant witch could be disastrous. But do not expect this to be some walk in the park, I will be much harder on you as an apprentice then I ever was when you were a student," After he said this he watched as her eyes lit up, another surprising development of the evening; a Gryffindor excited to be taught by him.

"Thank you very much Professor, you won't regret this decision," Hermione now had a plan; no more wandering around aimlessly she had direction.

"I had better not Miss Granger, now I think it is time you went back to your common room. I will speak with you tomorrow. Goodnight." Severus turned on his heel and disappeared down a corridor before Hermione even had a chance to say goodnight.

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Hermione quickly went back to the common room; she didn't want to give Professor

Snape any reason to take away her apprenticeship. She walked over to one of the couches and laid down, today had been the longest day of her life. So many people had been lost but so much had been gained for the future. She pulled a blanket over herself and let herself give in to the emotions that plagued her but one emotion she was not ready for was the one directed at a certain potions master.

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Severus went back to his rooms in the dungeons and one thought, well person, raided his mind. It didn't take occlumency to know what Granger was thinking, the problem became what was he going to do about it. The intelligent thing to do would be to put a stop to this nonsense immediately. Severus was usually an intelligent man but since his death he looked at life and people differently.

"What harm could come of just letting things work themselves out? This is probably some momentary infatuation and soon it will pass. But if it persists I will have to deal with it eventually, but in what way?"

Severus walked into his bedroom and couldn't be bothered with getting changed. He was dead tired and just wanted to lay his head on his pillow. Dead tired…Granger was right he was developing a sense of humor, which could spell the end of a certain potion master's image. His thoughts never got past this point because he feel into a deep sleep filled with dreams of a certain Gryffindor.

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Morning came quickly for Hermione, after months of running through the wilderness and the final battle that followed, a week of sleep would have seemed to short. She quickly cleaned herself up and hurried down to the Great Hall for breakfast, another thing she sorely missed during her travels.

Just after she sat down and began to eat Professor Snape walked through the giant doors. As he walked by it almost looked like he smiled at her, but this was Professor Snape, she must be imagining things. He quickly marched to his seat at the head table next to Headmistress McGonagall and began to speak with her in hushed tones.

Hermione assumed this had to do with her apprenticeship and quietly finished her breakfast. She wondered whether the Headmistress would disapprove of her decision. After slowly eat her food for what seemed like forever Hermione left the Great Hall and began to make her way towards the library. She had a lot of catching up to do if she wanted to be ready for this fall and she really wanted to impress the professor.

"Where are you off to now Miss Granger?" came a low masculine voice from behind her.

Hermione felt her stomach jump into her throat and she fought to get her words out. Standing their staring was not about to gain her any favors with the professor.

"I'm actually on my way to the library. I have a lot of catching up to do."

"I spoke with the Headmistress about your apprenticeship and she approves of your decision to remain here. She feels you could learn a lot more from one on one teaching."

Severus was impressed that she was willing to go study rather then to the many parties that would surely be taking place today. Well if she wanted to learn he was going to give her the opportunity.

"The library doesn't have a wide enough selection for you if you plan on being my apprentice. Come with me." Severus was going to take her to the one place where he knew she could learn everything she would ever need to know about potion making.

Hermione had to run to keep up to the potions master as he quickly made his way through the halls of Hogwarts. As they walked through the many passageways Hermione noticed they were heading towards the dungeons. What place would have a better selection for the library? Professor Snape's private library.

It would be the only other place in the school where she could find a wider selection. She didn't know where his library was while she was a student but she did know it had somewhere within the school.

Severus walked the familiar path back to his private rooms, deep within the dungeons in a little used corner of the school. He stopped at a damp stonewall, raised his wand and whispered the password under his breath.

Hermione watched in awe as an ornate wooden door appeared out of what seemed like thin air. Of course she knew this was not the case, but there was really no other way to describe what had happened. Professor Snape opened the door and stepped through holding it open for her to follow him in.

Severus watched as the witch's eyes grew wide with astonishment as she beheld his pride and joy. Floor to ceiling book shelves filled with all the knowledge a potion master could ever dream of possessing. She tentatively walked to the closest shelf and reached for one of the books but before she would touch it she looked at him with a questioning look.

"Of course you may look at them Miss Granger, that is after all why I brought you here. You are welcome here any time and any book here is yours to borrow." He watched as she reached out a delicately selected one of the volumes. She held onto it as if it were a small child as she made her way around the room.

Hermione couldn't believe what she was seeing. This was the most amazing collection of literature she had ever had the pleasure of viewing. Some of the titles were extremely rare and she never could have dreamed of holding them in her hands. As she made her way around the room her eyes fell on a door way hidden in the corner of the library. She didn't want to look like she was snooping but her curiosity often got the best of her. She walked over and appeared to be looking at one of the books but was actually looking into the open doorway.

What she seen in their almost made her drop the book she was carrying, it was a large four-poster bed dressed in Slytherin green and silver. She thought back to what he had said to her: _"You are welcome here any time."_ At that thought she had to smile.


End file.
